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Teck Committed to Aquatic Health

Teck is fully committed to carrying out this work and to continuing to engage with governments

By Marcia Smith

Your February 3 article (EPA Weighs in on Teck Water Treatment Closure) presents an incorrect picture of the cooperative effort underway on both sides of the border to maintain water quality and aquatic health in the Koocanusa Reservoir.

Contrary to the statements in the article, Teck has been working closely with government and regulators in both Canada and the U.S., including the EPA. We have responded to all requests for information and have provided monitoring data to appropriate government agencies, and will continue to do so as we work cooperatively to tackle this important issue.

Regarding our work on the West Line Creek Water Treatment Facility, Teck is proposing to only temporarily take this facility offline while we complete installation of a new component of the treatment process. This new component will address the challenge experienced previously with selenium compounds, and help to ensure we are meeting our objective of removing selenium and nitrate from water. We anticipate this work will be complete later this year.

In addition, we are set to break ground on our second water treatment facility this spring and are advancing other water treatment projects as we continue to implement the Elk Valley Water Quality Plan, with the goal of stabilizing and reversing the trend of selenium and other mining-related substances in the watershed.

Teck is fully committed to carrying out this work and to continuing to engage with governments, Indigenous Communities, and all stakeholders in order to ensure that the health of the Koocanusa Reservoir and the rest of the watershed is maintained.

Marcia Smith
senior vice president
Sustainability and External Affairs
Teck